Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust (SWB) and The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust (DGFT) have moved into a formal NHS Group Model, culminating in the creation of a single Group Board from 1 April 2026.
The plan has a strategic rationale, governance structure, leadership model and phased timeline for the transition. Crucially, it means both Trusts maintain their sovereignty and legal independence whilst benefitting from strengthened collaboration, consistency and shared leadership across the two organisations.
Serving overlapping populations and with similar operational, workforce and financial pressures, the plan ensures that deeper collaboration will help us go further and faster on improvement and reform, particularly in areas such as quality, equity, workforce development and resource use.
Key drivers for the change include reducing differences in outcomes and patient experience, improving access to safe, high‑quality care, creating a larger, more flexible workforce and consistent leadership expectations. It will also bring benefits in strengthening both organisations’ role as anchor institutions and reducing duplication in governance and assurance, all while preserving local identity through enabling shared strategic leadership.
Under the new structure, both Trusts will operate under a single Group Board, supported by a suite of joint committees covering quality, finance, people, infrastructure, integration and audit.
Key changes include:
- A unified Group Board acting as a Joint Committee of both Trust Boards
- Standardised governance processes and reduced duplication
- Joint committees
- Clear distinction between functions retained by each sovereign Board and those exercised jointly
What stays the same:
- Each Trust remains a separate statutory organisation
- DGFT’s Council of Governors retains its legal duties
- Accountability to NHSE, CQC and local partners
- Local identity and site‑based leadership
The Group will be led by Sir David Nicholson as Group Chair, with Deputy Chairs for each organisation – Lesley Writtle (SWB) and Gary Crowe (DGFT). Following a structured selection process, 11 Non-executive Directors (NEDs) have been appointed to Group roles, each holding a full NED role in one Trust and an Associate NED role in the other. This approach aligns status and voting rights while supporting unified governance.
Group Executive Directors
- Diane Wake – Group Chief Executive
- Jonathan Odum – Group Chief Medical Officer
- Mel Roberts – Group Chief Nurse
- Rachel Barlow – Group Chief Development Officer
- Adam Thomas – Group Chief Strategy & Digital Officer
- Kat Rose – Interim Group Chief Partnership Officer
- Laura Broster – Group Chief Communications Officer
- Dr James Fleet – Group Chief People Officer
Site Executive Teams
Each Trust retains its own site‑based executive leadership, ensuring strong local accountability. Click here to see the new board structure